For Malea Anderson, 20, this is her first year in the competition. She was named Miss Clackamas 2013 in March. She is a 2011 graduate of Oregon City High School and attends Portland State University, majoring in accounting.

This is the third Miss Oregon pageant for her sister, Rebecca Anderson, 22, who was named Miss Portland 2013 last March. She graduated from OCHS in 2009, and just graduated from PSU with a bachelor of science degree in environmental sciences and a minor in sustainability.

Both young women received their titles from the Miss Three Rivers Scholarship Program, a regional preliminary competition for the Miss Oregon Scholarship Program. The Miss Three Rivers pageant takes place at the Barclay Theatre in downtown Oregon City.

Talent is a major part of the competition and Malea will perform a piano piece titled “The Prayer,” made famous by Andrea Bocelli.

Another component is the contestant’s platform, and Malea’s is overcoming hunger.

She noted that a platform usually represents an organization or a cause that each contestant is passionate about and promotes throughout the year of service.

“The platform is a way for the judges to see the commitment the contestant makes to the program, the community service they perform, and the passion they hold for a certain topic. The platform is typically a huge point of questioning during the interview process,” Malea said.

Through her platform, she has worked with organizations such as the Oregon Food Bank and Meals on Wheels. What is she most looking forward to during pageant week?

“To being surrounded by positive, intelligent and bright women and enjoying the friendships that I have made. I am also looking forward to performing on stage and receiving satisfaction from reaching my goal that I have been working toward for months,” she said.

“Being Miss Oregon is a full-time job, if I were to be crowned Miss Oregon I would be able to travel the whole state and meet all of the amazing people who live here. I also would love to promote my personal platform as well as the state platform, the American Red Cross,” Malea said.

Rebecca Anderson

Rebecca will sing “Astonishing,” a song from the musical “Little Women.”

“This song 100 percent describes me and my journey, and I thought that for my last year, I should go out with a bang,” she said.

Her platform is the American Red Cross. The platform is so crucial in the judging “because the Miss America Organization has a strong focus in service and community service. It is one of the four points of our crown,” Rebecca said.

She further noted that she chose the Red Cross “because of their continuous and seemingly endless support of everyone. From the tornado victims in Oklahoma to accident victims, the American Red Cross is there with a supply of blood and is there to give relief. The lifesaving power is so crucial.”

She is most looking forward to seeing how her personal growth has paid off as she competes in the pageant this year.

“For the last two years, I have placed in the top 10, but have yet to make it to the top five. Just in this last year, I have grown so incredibly fast and by leaps and bounds. I am excited to see where that takes me,” Rebecca said.

“I want to be Miss Oregon because I love this state and really want to be a representative for it. I want to truly serve my state, bring awareness for the American Red Cross and build the name of the Miss Oregon Scholarship Program,” she said.

Rebecca added, “The opportunities placed before us young women are so substantial, and I want to continue my community service on a statewide level, and truly make a difference. My dream is to leave this world better than when I entered it, and I think that this is my year to make that dream a reality.”